Saudi Arabia allows domestic workers to switch jobs without employer's consent

Saudi Arabia has approved major reforms to its labor legislation, clarifying the rules under which domestic workers may switch jobs without the approval of their previous employer.

The country changed the rules in the context of the wide-ranging reforms under Vision 2030, reports Saudi Gazette.

A ministerial resolution had already outlined 10 circumstances in which domestic workers' services could be transferred without the approval of their employer, including non-payment of salaries and the assignment of risky or potentially hazardous jobs.

The latest update adds two new scenarios: When the employer transfers the worker's services to a different employer without the worker's consent, and secondly, upon the termination of the labor contract by the employer during the probation period.

These reforms under Vision 2030 are an example of a carefully crafted policy that provides millions of foreign workers in the Kingdom with increased job mobility, freedom of movement, and enhanced labor rights under the Saudi law, said Dr Awwad Alawwad, Human Rights Commission (HRC) President and Chairman of the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

The implementation of these remarkable reforms also reflects Saudi Arabia's long-standing attentiveness to the global community, a statement from HRC read.